Tuttle Elementary School honors Sydelle Pittas

Although the Rotary Club of Longboat Key has been around for just two years, it’s already made a difference in the Longboat and Sarasota communities thanks to founder Sydelle Pittas.

“As our founding president two years ago, Sydelle put some ads in the Longboat Observer looking for people who were interested in forming a Rotary Club on Longboat Key,” current President Carol Erker said. “Without her, we never would have been chartered.”

The club donated $5,000 toward development of Tuttle Elementary School’s Digital Learning Lab, which was named the Sydelle Pittas Digital Learning Lab. It opened its doors March 10.

Since last year, the Rotary Club has held a food bank at the school, serving nearly 100 families on a biweekly basis, and club members also tutors students. On Feb. 18, the school named the Rotary Club of Longboat Key its “Business Partner of the Year.”

“Sydelle was pretty much the instigator of all these initiatives with Tuttle Elementary, so this is acknowledging that relationship and all of her efforts over the last two years,” Erker said. “There was no question we wanted to honor Sydelle by having this Digital Learning Lab named after her.”

More than 50 people attended the ceremony, including several members of both the Longboat Key and Sarasota Rotary clubs, Education Foundation board members, Sarasota County Schools Superintendent Lori White, School Board member Caroline Zucker and students and parents of Tuttle Elementary School.

Sarasota County Schools’ Digital Learning Labs give underserved students access to technology and will be used in-after school and summer programs. It was the 25th lab the Education Foundation has opened in Sarasota County.

 “This is a good tribute to her,” Erker said. “She’s done so much for us and for the school.”